marjoram

My mind and time have been taken up with other writing projects during the past week—my dissertation, about which I won’t talk here, and my story/pamphlet for Bioversity, about which I will talk, at some later date.  But I have to steal a few moments from eighteenth-century literature to do some musing on marjoram.

Every Wednesday night at the Academy, the RSFP kitchen cooks an entirely vegetarian meal with local, seasonal ingredients.  Last night, the highlights of the meal were hazelnuts (chopped on a bitter green salad with beets) and marjoram.

Marjoram is often thought of as a meat herb because it can hold its own alongside the most flavorful lamb or venison.  But last night’s main course was potato gnocchi with marjoram and chopped walnuts, pecorino and some wilted green (something chicoryish but not too bitter… plain old spinach?).  It was a risky dish, because the piny astringency and almost medicinal zest of the marjoram could easily have overpowered the humble little gnocchi.  That’s why I’d like to praise, along with the herb so evocative of wildness, the kitchen staff here.  Not only did they create delicate gnocchi for almost fifty people, but they seasoned it delicately with one of the strongest herbs.  The dish had to have been prepared with gentle fingers—to keep the gnocchi fluffy and to crush the leaves of marjoram without mincing out the flavor.  The wine pairing was exquisite, too: a slightly effervescent, green-grassy crisp white from Lazio.  Like a vinho verde, but even greener.

Thanks, guys!

Railway Cabin Crew

Towards the end of 1998 I took a job working as a member of the Cabin Crew on the trains. I hadn’t actually applied for the job; my father had applied for me, without telling me first or asking if I’d like the job. The first I knew about it was when he told me they’d written back to offer me an interview. I didn’t see how I could get there, as the train station was not in my hometown, but in the city nearest to it and at that time I hadn’t passed my driving test. However, my dad said he or my mother would drive me in for my shifts or I could get the bus, and in need of a job at the time I agreed to go for the interview. The company advertising the vacancy was called Lighthouse Services. The office was down one platform and inside the station wall itself. I didn’t want the job from the start and I remember even asking the woman at the interview what kind of notice I’d have to give if I wanted to leave. However, despite all this they offered me the job and I didn’t turn it down. The job itself wasn’t badly paid as I remember, much higher than minimum wage was at that time, especially for a 19 year old. I’m pretty sure it was £5 an hour, or thereabouts. I started on the Monday after my interview of the week before. A typical shift went like this: I would get to the station 15-20 mins before my shift was due to start and go to the office. If I was on the earliest shift, which would be the 6.05am to Manchester Piccadilly, I used to get there about 5.40-5.50am. With no buses running at that time in the morning it meant one of my parents getting up in the middle of the night to take me in and I think my dad soon started to regret applying for me. Anyway, once I’d let myself into the office, I’d then retrieve a fully stocked trolley from one of the trolley bays, which were a bit like they have in supermarkets like Morrisons. I’d do a quick check of the trolley and make sure it had everything I’d need. I’d look to see there were crisps, chocolate, cans of fizzy drink, wine, beers, sandwiches, nuts etc money in the till, a calculator for me to work out the totals as I was, and still am, hopeless at maths. Then I’d grab a hot water urn so that I could make all my freeze dried drinks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate etc. I’d wheel the trolley down to the platform where I was to get on the train and wait for it to arrive. Once it did I’d stand at the entrance to the train, dressed in my full suit uniform, and ‘meet and greet’ the passengers with ‘Hello, Good Morning’ etc. Once they were all onboard I’d use the train’s portable wheelchair ramp to get my trolley on and was off. I’d sit until just after we reached the first stop, about 10 mins away and I’d then start wheeling my trolley down the train carriages asking each customer if they’d like anything. The prices then were high I felt, even for the railways. I remember charging 80p for a 330ml can of soft drink, cans of lager were about £2 each, tea or coffee were £1.05 a cup and hot chocolate was £1.25. No one complained though, probably because they recognised me as the monkey and not the organ grinder. Anyway, once I’d got to the other end of the train I’d sit again until just after we’d left the next station and then repeat the cycle. I did this all the way to Manchester Piccadilly when I’d leave the train altogether, say goodbye to the passengers etc and go and get on the next train going back to Hull. I only did the job for two weeks but the memories that stayed with me are quite vivid. I remember one of my colleagues got suspended, as the managers accused her of taking her own teabags on board the trains and selling them to the customers for 10p a cup using the company’s hot water to fill them up. I found this rather unlikely as to turn any kind of a profit she’d have to be selling hundreds a day which just wasn’t possible. I was asked just before I left not to talk to her, as she was due to go to a tribunal. I didn’t listen though and did continue to speak to her as we got on well. I also got to know the conductors on the service and would often speak to them. The vast majority were good people, with the exception of one. He would drop things into the conversation in a deliberate attempt to use it against you. Such as criticising one of the company’s supervisors and would then go and tell that person what you’d said. He did it so obviously I never said anything to him. I didn’t need to, I liked all the people I worked with I just didn’t like the job. I always suspected this was who had got my colleague into trouble over the tea bag affair. A lot of the time, particularly at night the train would be quiet, except for when we got near to Leeds and a raucous group of revellers going for a night out would get on. Anything I didn’t sell would be taken back to the office to be put onto another trolley with the exception of the sandwiches that had to be thrown away after a single shift. I always felt this was a needless waste, especially as we weren’t allowed to take them home and it was a sacking offence if you’d been found to have done so. I think I handed my notice in at the end of the first week, my last day to be Christmas Eve. I arrived for work in the morning as usual to find a few boxes of mince pies waiting for me with a note which said: ‘Daniel, hand one of these out to everyone who buys something’. Naturally as this was Christmas Eve and I wanted to increase the Christmas spirit, I just went up and down the train, which was nearly empty anyway, offering each person a free mince pie. Most of them refused with some giving me a look as if to say ‘why are you giving these away?’ I don’t remember when I got back to the office if there was someone there or not, but I do remember the feeling of relief when it was all over and my days as Railway Cabin Crew were behind me. Thanks for reading.

Napa Rose Day 1...

This past weekend we went to Disneyland for the weekend. Julie (John’s sister) got tickets to a special Halloween event at California Adventure. Before we got to in event we went for dinner at Napa Rose. John and I both feel this is the best restaurant at the Disneyland in Anaheim. It was going to be my first time to Napa. In fact I was so excited I worked a half day so I wouldn’t risk sitting in traffic and missing dinner. You would’ve been that excited too if you listened to John go on and on for weeks about how great this place was. So we get to dinner and we get the best waiter who knows more about wine than Robert Parker. If you ever find yourself at Napa Rose make sure to request Saucy. John and I didn’t even bother looking at the menu as we knew what we wanted; tasting menu with the wine pairing we told Saucy. Now to get to the real point of this post the food!!

To start they give you a basket with so many different kinds of bread. If you know me then you know I love my carbs, but this time I think the smooth creamy butter out did the bread. The butter was so good I could’ve just kept eating it by itself.

3 kinds of bread...yummy.

 

 

 

Creamy butter.....yum...yum..yum

 

Christina had pepperoni pizza, but not just any pepperoni pizza this had roma tomato sauce. Allie had Buttered noodles. John and I were wondering why Allie was so excited by buttered noodles. Well John forgot to snap photos of the pizza and noodles so you can’t see them.

 

There will be another post shortly as we did the tasting menu two days in a row. Napa Rose calls the tasting menu “The Vintner’s Table”

Friday night:Course one: Cedar Planked Alaskan Wild King Salmon with Golden Chanterelles (mushrooms well really good mushrooms) Butter Leeks and a Truffle Honey Glaze. This course was so great the Salmon was cooked very rare and just enough to give the crust of the fish a flakey crust. For you non foodies chanterelle mushrooms are so good even I eat them and I hate mushrooms. The wine served to complement the meal was a white wine Chardonnay. You had to go with a white wine like this so it wouldn’t fight the fat and acidity of the fish.

    Note the chilli pepper on the left. Both of us and Saucy scratched our heads as to why the chef put it on the plate.

Wild Salmon

 

 Course two: Lobster Pumpkin “Pot Pie” (NO this is not like a Marie Calendar pot pie) served with sautéed Roasted Lobster with Lemon Grass Ginger Pumpkin Essence. This was more up John’s ally since he like lobster, but since I don’t care for it I was amazed at how good it was. Saucy paired this meal with a Pfeffengen Riesling, Pfalz, Germany 2007. I loved this and I was shocked since I normally only like Dr. Loosen Rieslings as most are too sweet for me. John thought it was yummy and says things like do you taste the citrus or smells like a barnyard? I think he just makes stuff up since I tasted no citrus or smelled a barnyard.

 

 

Not your Marie Calendar Pot Pie

Break time from the tasting menu… 

…Julie arrived right after the second course. She was late to dinner since she didn’t get off of work early like us Disneyland freaks.  Julie had Ravioli which I remember tasting and thought it was really good. So good they were sautéed in truffled sage brown butter, American Prosciutto and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese.

 

  Julie’s Brown Butter Ravioli

 

Now back to the journey of the tasting menu.

 I thought next entree was our duck but I was wrong, the chef said thank you by giving us an amuse bouche. It was a Portobello Mushroom Bisque Cappuccino with Brandied thyme froth. Again I was surprised that I found mushrooms yummy. It combined my love for cappuccinos with mushrooms. Sadly there was no wine pairing with this meal.

Soup or Cappuccino??? Mushroom Cappuccino!

 

 Now it was time for the main entrée in the tasting menu. Well just say I am glad John and I took that trip to Seattle where I learned that I loved eating duck. So yes that last entrée was duck, but not just any duck Roti Roasted “Maple Leaf Farms” Duck Breast served with Toasted sweet potato bread pudding and cranberry cider glaze. Both of us thought this dish would’ve been good if the portion was smaller. After about the 2nd piece of duck we both got tired but continued eating it. The wine served with this was a “Paraduxx” by Duckhorn, Zinfandel-Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Napa Valley 2006. John was surprised I like the wine as it was very earthy and metal type flavored. Most red wine I drink is fruity and tannic that has a strong in your face kind of taste.  

Duck Breast... But not as good as duck liver aka foie gras.

By this time we were pretty full but knew that dessert was next. But the worst part about dessert is you know once you finish that the whole food journey is over.

Dessert was so good since I love pumpkin…Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pumpkin ice cream. Sorry no picture since the photographer and I just chowed down on this part of the meal. The wine this meal was paired with was a Domaine Jo Pithon, Le Bonnes Blanches, Coteaux du Layon, France 2002, but as with most dessert wines I didn’t care for it. I personally think the dessert wines have to much sugar and taste like gas mixed with sugar. John liked this one.

 

Sadly now the meal was over. But on a happier note we were now on our way DCA for Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat party.  Till next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancient Greeks introduced wine to France, Cambridge study reveals

Topic: The Grape

France’s well-known passion for wine may have stemmed from the Ancient Greeks, a Cambridge University study discloses.

The original makers of Côtes-du-Rhône are said to have descended from Greek explorers who settled in southern France about 2500 years ago, it claimed.

The study, by Prof Paul Cartledge, suggested the world’s biggest wine industry might never have developed had it not been for a “band of pioneering Greek explorers” who settled in southern France around 600 BC.

His study appears to dispel the theory that it was the Romans who were responsible for bringing viticulture to France.

The study found that the Greeks founded Massalia, now known as Marseilles, which they then turned into a bustling trading site, where local tribes of Ligurian Celts undertook friendly bartering.

Prof Cartledge said within a matter of generations the nearby Rhône became a major thoroughfare for vessels carrying terracotta amphorae that contained what was seen as a new, exotic Greek drink made from fermented grape juice.

He argued the new drink rapidly became a hit among the tribes of Western Europe, which then contributed to the French’s modern love of wine.

“I hope this will lay to rest an enduring debate about the historic origins of supermarket plonk,” he said.

“Although some academics agree the Greeks were central to founding Europe’s wine trade, others argue the Etruscans or even the later Romans were the ones responsible for bringing viticulture to France.”

Archaeologists have discovered a five-foot high, 31.5 stone bronze vessel, the Vix Krater, which was found in the grave of a Celtic princess in northern Burgundy, France.

Prof Cartledge said there were two main points that proved it was the Greeks who introduced wine to the region.

“First, the Greeks had to marry and mix with the local Ligurians to ensure that Massalia survived, suggesting that they also swapped goods and ideas.

“Second, they left behind copious amounts of archaeological evidence of their wine trade (unlike the Etruscans and long before the Romans), much of which has been found on Celtic sites.”

The research forms part of Professor Cartledge’s study into where the boundaries of Ancient Greece began and ended.

Rather than covering the geographical area occupied by the modern Greek state, he argued Ancient Greece stretched from Georgia in the east to Spain in the west.

Original article:

Telegraph.co.uk

By Andrew Hough

Oct 23, 2009

Dry Sack Sherry: A Flavor Enhancer for Cooking at Home

Dry Sack, one of the world’s leading medium dry sherries, produced by Spain’s venerable Williams & Humbert, is a popular aperitif served chilled or on the rocks to prime one’s palate before dinner. In cooking, Dry Sack is a key ingredient that enhances flavor in soups and many savory dishes. While the majority of sherry usage is for drinking, it has always had a place in the kitchen and is known to be a staple ingredient in many classic dishes such as soups and stews. Sherry can be used in a variety of cuisines and dishes, from the traditional to the ethnic.

At the top of the John Hancock Tower in Chicago, Patrick Sheerin, Executive Chef of The Signature Room restaurant uses Dry Sack in his lobster bisque. "We use Dry Sack sherry in two applications for our lobster bisque.  Traditionally, sherry is served on the side with the bisque, so we wanted to incorporate the sweetness and rich nuances that pair very well with the lobster in the production portion of the soup. To incorporate the sherry ‘on the side’, we make an agar gel of the sherry with really nice aged sherry vinegar and a local maple syrup so there are bright flavor pockets of the gelee in the soup. Dry Sack was selected because it is a tasty sherry that is well-made and affordable.  As a wine to cook with it adds a lot of nuance to a dish in the reduction stages that translate to a well balanced sweetness at the end."

Sheerin added, "When you are cooking classic dishes with reductions-like with sherry or any alcohol for that matter, the beverage has to taste good, but it also has to have structure so that its nuances are showcased in the reduction process.  Cook off a bottle of Dry Sack sherry and as it cooks down, the alcohol dissipates, and you are left with these beautiful flavors of maple syrup, smoke and wood that also offer sweetness. I think that’s what hooked me… those flavors on the nose."

Dry Sack is a distinctive blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximénez grapes that undergoes fractional blending under Spain’s time honored solera system and is aged for six years in oak casks. The aromas are in the style of an amontillado sherry: a fragrant nut aroma and delicate nut taste with just a hint of sweetness.

Dry Sack’s name is taken from the Shakespearean word for Sherry, "sack." Williams & Humbert has the exclusive rights to use the word sack in the brand’s name. Dry Sack’s distinctive burlap cloth sack packaging also sets it apart. Williams & Humbert first started producing Dry Sack in 1906. Today it is the world’s top selling sherry brand. A bottle of Dry Sack retails for approximately $16.00 (750 ml.) and is 19.5% alcohol by volume.

Dry Sack Sherry and Soy Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings

3 pounds chicken drumettes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups Dry Sack sherry

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons apricot preserves

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Hot sauce

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion, optional

Arrange 2 racks about 4-inches apart in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Generously oil 2 rimmed baking sheets or roasting pans.

Arrange the drumettes on the baking sheets and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the Dry Sack, soy sauce, preserves and garlic in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in the sesame oil and hot sauce to taste and set aside in the saucepan.

Remove the trays from the oven; carefully spoon 1/4 cup of the hot sherry mixture over the wings to coat the tops and roast another 15 minutes.

Remove the trays from the oven; turn the wings and spoon 1/4 cup sherry mixture to cot the surface. Return the trays to the oven reversing their positions on the two racks. Roast 15 to 20 minutes longer to an internal temperature of 180°F.

Return the sherry mixture to a boil. Loosen the wings from the trays with a spatula and transfer them to a large bowl; toss them with 1/4 cup of the hot sherry mixture and arrange on a serving plate.

Stir the sherry vinegar and scallion, if desired, into the remaining hot sherry mixture and use for a dipping sauce.

Dry Sack Stuffed Mushrooms

Technorati Tags: wine,sherry,cooking,holidays

Two 8-ounce packages Baby Bella (crimini) mushrooms

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup Dry Sack sherry

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2-cups 1/4-inch cubes firm white bread (3 to 4 slices)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms; chop the stems and set aside. Toss the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons Dry Sack in a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems, scallions, and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes until the onion begins to brown.

Add the remaining 3/4 cup Dry Sack and the butter; cook until there appears to be about 1/4 cup liquid in the pan. Stir in the bread cubes, salt and pepper.

Arrange the mushroom caps, open side up, on the baking sheet and divide the bread mixture into them. Bake the stuffed mushrooms about 15 minutes until the bread cubes begin to brown. Serve immediately or cool 15 to 20 minutes and serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Dry Sack Sherry Bread Pudding with Oloroso Sauce

3/4 cup Dry Sack sherry

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups 1-inch squares firm white bread (about 4 slices)

1/2 cup chocolate chunks

Dry Sack Oloroso Butter Sauce, Dry Sack Oloroso Cream Sauce, or Sherry Whipped Cream, recipes follow.

Bring the Dry Sack, brown sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl. Gradually beat in the milk and cream. When the Dry Sack mixture has cooled, stir it into the egg mixture along with the bread and chocolate; set aside 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish. Stir the bread mixture and transfer it to the buttered baking dish. Place the baking dish in a larger baking pan and pour hot water into the pan around the dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until the center has set and the top is nicely browned.

Meanwhile, make one of the Oloroso sauces or Sherry Whipped Cream. Serve the bread pudding warm with a sauce or whipped cream.

Dry Sack Oloroso Butter Sauce: Whisk together 1 cup Dry Sack Oloroso Sherry, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Cook until thick.

Dry Sack Oloroso Cream Sauce: Whisk together 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup milk, 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Cook until thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Dry Sack Oloroso Sherry.

Dry Sack Oloroso Whipped Cream: Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon Dry Sack Oloroso Sherry.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Simple Lobster Bisque

1-2 cups fresh lobster meat

1/3 cup Dry Sack sherry

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

salt and pepper to taste

In small bowl, combine lobster and Dry Sack. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour; stir until smooth and bubbling.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

Continue cooking and stirring until mixture is thick.

Mix in Worcestershire Sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Add lobster and Dry Sack mixture.

Cover and simmer

Serve with a glass of chilled Dry Sack on the side.

Braised Pheasant Thighs with Caramelized Root Vegetables

By Chef Ken Arnone

Ingredients

2 ounces olive oil 2 ounces extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds pheasant thighs, boneless * 8 ounces rutabaga, baton, blanched

10 ounces Dry Sack 8 ounces celeriac, baton, blanched

5 cups pheasant stock 8 ounces. butternut squash, baton, blanched

3 each thyme sprigs 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 tsp. juniper berries 1 tablespoon sage, chopped

1 each bay leaf

Salt and pepper as needed

Garnish

Mini potato chips, smoked almonds, chopped

Season the pheasant thighs with salt and pepper on both sides

Pre-heat a saucepan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and lightly render and brown the skin side of the pheasant thighs, remove from the pan and reserve

Deglaze the pan with the Dry Sack and reduce by half, add the pheasant stock, thyme, juniper, and bay leaf-bring to a simmer

Place the thighs, skin up, in a roasting pan and add the hot stock. The stock should cover the thighs completely.

Cover with foil and place I a 275-degree oven. Cook until fork tender, about 2 ½ hours

Strain the stock and lightly thicken to sauce consistency with roux or cornstarch.

Sauté the root vegetables in extra virgin olive oil until lightly caramelized and hot throughout. Add the herbs and season to taste.

*May substitute chicken thighs

About Williams & Humbert, Makers of Dry Sack

Based in Jerez de la Frontera in the region of Andalucia, Williams & Humbert is the largest winery in Europe with more than 1200 acres of vineyards. Other sherries in Williams & Humbert portfolio include Dry Sack Especial 15-year-old rare- aged sherry, Dos Cortados Rare Old Palo Cortado Especal 20-year-old sherry, Don Guido Rare Old Sweet Solera Especial, aged a minimum of 20 years, Jalifa Rare Old Amontillado Solera Especial, aged a minimum of 30 years. Wiliams & Humbert also produces Gran Duque de Alba Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez, Crema de Alba crème liqueur, Dos Maderas dual aged rum and Dos Maderas PX. All are importers by Kindred Spirits of North America, Miami. www.kindredspiritsusa.com.

Back to Bears

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from Sean Minor Wines.

The UPS and Fed Ex trucks come to my door with alarming regularity.  Almost always it’s a surprise as to what they will be bringing.  I personally order anywhere from 20-30 shipments of wine a year myself….but during the fall and the spring, the delivery trucks arrive at least 2-3 times a week.  Just last week they delivered 22 bottles of wine.  It’s like Christmas every time I get a box! One recent box came bearing the most current releases from Sean Minor’s 4 Bears line, and we tried the 2008 Sean Minor 4 Bears Sauvignon Blanc this other night.  I tried the previous vintages of this line, you can read the reviews here. This time the line came with some new things, including a Pinot Noir. The idea is to create an affordable line of quality wines.  The Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc had a screw cap closure, clocked in at 13.5% alcohol by volume, and retails for around $13.

I first noted that I found the wine to be very aromatic…I could smell it wafting out of my glass.  I got grass, grapefruit, flowers, hay, tropical notes, honeysuckle, lime, and orange zest on the nose.  In the mouth I found orange, tangerine, grass, flowers, tropical fruit, and passion fruit. Overall the wine had nice acidity and I found it to be a very good effort for the price point.  Definitely a crowd pleaser for a party.

 

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Thank goodness I live on a street that looks dreadful enough at night that wayward Halloween characters always stay away.  Keeps the puppies from going crazy, which in turn keeps me from going crazy. Man, that’s a benefit that Carlos the Realtor never mentioned, so I guess I should buy him a coffee the next time I see him.  (Hmmm…maybe I should let him remind me of this post; it’ll show that someone actually reads this blog.)

But enough about me, let’s talk chicken pesto pizza.

I use a pizza dough recipe from Wolfgang Puck. Makes 4 small, 2 medium, or 1 big pizza.

3 C. Flour

1 tsp salt

1 TBspn honey

2 TBspn Olive Oil

3/4 C. cool water

1 package dry yeast

1/4 C. warm water (100 – 110 degrees)

1.  Combine salt, honey, olive oil, 3/4 cup cool water in a small bowl. Mix well.

2.  Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Use a thermometer to ensure temp is no higher than 110. Let sit for 10 minutes.

3.  Put the 3 cups of flour into a large bowl or on a large counter or cutting board.  Create the classic volcano, complete with crater.  This will come in handy.

4.  Pour the yeast into the other liquid ingredients. Mix gently.

5.  Pour the liquid into the crater and start mixing.  If it’s too sticky, add a touch of flour, but not too much.

6.  Once the dough has started to become a single mass, turn it out onto a flour-dusted counter or cutting board and start kneading.

7. With the dough ball now smooth, put it into a buttered bowl, Cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.

8.  Punch down, roll into a tight ball.  Divide into smaller balls if making small or medium pizzas. Lightly dust with some cooking spray and cover with film (Saran Wrap.)

9.  Refrigerate dough until one hour prior to use. Let dough raise to room temperature.

10.  Using whatever technique you dare, shape into pizza.

 

Back at the ranch…

1/2 to 1 baked chicken breast, chopped up into small peices.

3 – 6 TBsp pesto (amount depends on how much chicken you use)

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Artichoke hearts (get the stuff already prepared; sold in little jars)

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 – 3 TBSpn Olive oil

2 cloves garlic

So here’s how it all works:

Take 2 cloves of garlic.  Press them into a small glass bowl.  Add 2 – 3 TBspn Olive Oil.  Let steep while prepping everything else.

Shred enough mozzarella to cover the size pizza you have chosen. Shred about 1/4 of that amount of Parmesan.

Coat the chicken with the pesto.

Assembly time:

Cover the dough with the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Evenly distribute the pesto-chicken and red onion.

Add artichoke hearts to taste.

Drizzle the garlic-olive oil over the entire disk.

Bake on a stone or a circular pizza pan at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until crust done and cheese melted.

 

Serve with a good glass of wine.  I always recommend the Merlot from the Williamsburg Winery in Virginia.

Enjoy!